Quezon City: Where to eat in U.P. Diliman

The University of the Philippines, Diliman has been a big part of my life. I spent nine years in U.P. as a student, finishing three degrees. And now, I'm a member of the faculty, teaching tourism courses at the Asian Institute of Tourism.

And U.P Diliman food has definitely been a big part of all those years. I was a dormer for close to four years and had my share of isaw, fishballs and dirty ice cream, as well as food from the U.P. Shopping Center, U.P. Coop or aristocart when I missed my meals at the dorm. Some of the restaurants we used to eat at have moved to other places like Mommy Thai.

Contrary to popular notion, U.P. Diliman is not just about fishballs, isaw and dirty ice cream. I spent one afternoon and evening after class roaming around U.P. with friends and even celebrities to rediscover the food I've always enjoyed. So here's a list of things and places to eat in U.P. Diliman:


1. Beach House Canteen
This small hut beside the U.P Main Library and Sunken Garden is already an institution. They are most known for the Pork Barbecue (Php25 a stick), Pork Chop (Php50 a serving) and other grilled dishes. Beach House Canteen is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are looking for affordable and delicious barbecue, Beach House is the place to get it.


2. R.O.C. (Restaurant of Choice)
This is the newest restaurant in U.P. Diliman located at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni. It's my favorite hang-out because of its great food and free WiFi Internet. R.O.C. is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Among my favorite dishes at R.O.C. is the R.O.C. Burger, 100% quarter pound beef patty, aioli, lettuce, tomatoes and onions served in a sesame bun (Php158), Garlic Chicken, boneless chicken thighs, ROCs herb-garlic sauce, garlic rice and chefs veggies (Php185), Quattro Funghi, four-mushroom melange, garlic ream sauce and linguine (Php166), and the Bourbon Burger, 100% quarter pound beef patty, aioli, Bourbon glazed onions, lettuce and tomatoes served in a sesame bun (Php175). Also try out the Buco Sherbert (Php78) which is among their best-sellers.


I had lunch there with former U.P. Diliman USC chairperson Kris Ablan (few people know he was a FAMAS-nominated child actor who went by the screen name Kris Banal) and dinner with blogger Anton Diaz, and former actress Paula Peralejo of Tabing Ilog fame and a U.P. Diliman magna cum laude graduate herself. Being a vegetarian, Paula tried out the Margherita Panniza (Php228) and Quattro Funghi.


3. The Chocolate Kiss Cafe
This restaurant opened at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni when I was a freshman and was a regular lunch or afternoon break hangout of my block. They started with the second floor and opened another branch on the first floor of Bahay ng Alumni. The 1st floor branch opens at 7 a.m. and is closed by 6 p.m. The 2nd floor branch opens later but closes later as well at 10 p.m.

My all-time favorite snack is the Chicken Asparagus Sandwich which is grilled chicken with mayo and asparagus strips served in French bread (Php158). But The Chocolate Kiss is most known for its cakes. I personally like their Carrot Cake (Php70 per slice) and Blueberry Cheesecake (Php105 per slice).



4. Khas Food House
I like Middle Eastern food. Which is a good thing there's Khas Food House at the U.P. Arcade where the U.P. Swimming Pool is located. While Persian and Indian food are their specialties, Khas serves an array of international dishes such as Vietnamese and Korean, owing to the fact that it's located right across the International Center, U.P.'s foreign students' dorm. My personal favorite would be the Keema, minced beef with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, ginger, herbs and spices (Php45) which I partner with Pita Bread. Another best seller would be the Biryani Beef, vegetable rice cooked in imported spices served with beef (Php135).



5. Rodic's Diner
Another institution in U.P., Rodic's has been serving its very popular Tapsilog at the U.P. Shopping Center for decades. Today is the 61st anniversary of Rodic's if you didn't know! I was accompanied by Nico Ibaviosa, a member of the UP Diliman University Student Council and a Star Magic talent who is currently part of the cast of BFGF which shows every Sunday, 4:30 p.m. on TV5. We ordered their famous Tapsilog (Php70) of course!


6. Mang Larry's Isawan
Few people know that Mang Larry's Isawan has been grilling isaw in front of the Kalayaan Residence Hall ever since the 1986 People Power Revolution. So that makes Mang Larry's Isawan more than two decades old! The stall, which is open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, has definitely grown by leaps and bounds. Having lived in the Kalayaan Residence Hall during my freshman year, I was initiated to isaw at Mang Larry's. (Update: Both isawans have now moved to the empty lot beside the UP Chapel and College of Law)

They serve Isaw Manok (Php3), Isaw Baboy (Php3), Goto (Php6), Tenga (Php6), Atay (Php6), Botsi (P6), Balun-balunan (Php6) and Pork Barbecue (Php8).


And guess who I saw buying isaw while I was there! It turns out Alessandra de Rossi is a regular of Mang Larry's together with other celebrities and friends who journey all the way to U.P. Diliman to savor Mang Larry's famous isaw. While I prefer Mang Larry's, others prefer the isawan beside the U.P. College of Law (which used to be beside Ilang-Ilang Residence Hall when I was still studying).



7. Lutong Bahay
If you're looking for cheap and affordable home-cooked meals, Lutong Bahay beside the U.P. Post Office is the place to be. I was joined by U.P. student Martin del Rosario, a Star Magic talent who played Johnny on ABS-CBN's Rosalka. Martin shares that he always hangs-out with his block in Lutong Bahay for lunch. Aside from the home-cooked meals, Lutong Bahay is also popular for it's really large fruit shakes which are very cheap. The Mango Shake just costs Php30.


8. Long Island
I was not familiar with Long Island since it's on the College of Engineering side of the U.P. Main Library which I rarely visit. But Nico Ibaviosa suggested that we try out the food there too. Their best-sellers used to be the chicken meals. But that is no longer in the menu due to some changes in rules for U.P. food stalls. Canteens complained that stalls competed with them. So stalls were disallowed from selling full meals. But Long Island serves really affordable pizza and pasta. If you're craving for some, Long Island is for you.


9. U.P. Manininda
I've already mentioned the isaw. But there are a lot of really yummy snacks which are available from the different U.P. Manininda. You'd see some of them walking around with Lumpiang Gulay, Turon, Banana Cue and Carioca (Php12 each), Taho, Monay with Cheese and Dirty Ice Cream. Siomai at the College of Fine Arts is cheap and delicious. And don't forget the Fishball, Kikiam, Squid Balls, etc. at your friendly fishball stand located all over campus.

There are more restaurants such as Likha Diwa sa Gulod and the Museum Cafe at the U.P. Vargas Museum. So this list will continue to grow. I wonder if I'll include the U.P. TechnoHub since it's technically inside the U.P. Campus.

I didn't mention college canteens and CASAA anymore since concessionaires come and go. While the famous Mang Jimmy's is outside U.P. Unfortunately, some favorites like Chateau Verde and Oz Cafe (I never got to try their legendary Lava Cake), are already closed.

Did I miss anything? What is your favorite U.P. Diliman food experience?

Manila: Ateneo Alumni Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Rizal Park

Filipinos rarely visit Rizal Park. I guess it's because we feel it's just there. Every time I get the opportunity to pass by the park, I relish it since it's one of the few real open spaces left in this crowded metropolis. I got that chance again last Saturday.

One week before the Ateneo Alumni Homecoming, Ateneans remember the university's most distinguished alumnus, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Ateneo University President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J., officers of the Ateneo Alumni Association and representatives of the jubilarian classes graced the Annual Ateneo Alumni Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Rizal Monument in Rizal Park last Saturday, December 5. This formal ceremony was held to commence the 2009 Grand Ateneo Alumni Homecoming activities.

This year is extra important since it's the 150th anniversary of the Ateneo. And this coming Saturday, there will be a big celebration to celebrate the sesquicentennial. Dubbed One Big Night, it's the sesquicentennial celebration and annual homecoming rolled into one.

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception! See you all on Saturday! And thanks to Gab Malvar for the photos!

UAAP Basketball: Ateneo vs. La Salle... Cory wins!

In one rare moment for UAAP basketball, yellow was the color of the Araneta Coliseum during an Ateneo-La Salle game. It was a very touching opening, prayers led by both sides, while images of President Cory Aquino flashed on the screen. Then the stadium all sang an emotional Bayan Ko before the "hostilities" began.

Well, with the start of the game, all civility and proper behavior was thrown out the window like in all Ateneo-La Salle matches. At least for a few minutes, both sides were one. The power of Cory was most felt in the Big Dome! Cory wins! The country wins! And Ateneo wins in overtime, 76-72!

Manila: More art and architecture from UP Diliman

In the last entry, we mentioned Cesar H. Concio. Once the University Architect, Concio also designed Melchor Hall which houses the College of Engineering; Palma Hall which serves as the home of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy; and the student center Vinzons Hall.

In front of Vinzons Hall is the first reinforced concrete monument in the country. People often mistake it for a monument of Bonifacio, but the Grito de Balintawak actually depicts a nameless Katipunero. It was transferred here in 1968, saved from an imminent demolition.

Beside Vinzons Hall is the College of Business Administration (CBA). Inside the CBA Lobby is a very important work of Jose Joya, National Artist for Visual Arts, known as The Barter of Panay. In front of the building is an artwork of Napoleon Abueva called The Spirit of Business.

Abueva actually has numerous works scattered around campus including: the Nine Muses at the UP Faculty Center; the Crucifix with Two Corpora at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice; the University Gateway; Diwata at the Faculty Center; Alma Mater at the lobby of Ang Bahay ng Alumni; Three Women Sewing the First Philippine Flag, also known as Tres Marias Plaza, at the UP Donors' Garden; and the Tribute to Higher Education at the entrance of University Avenue.

Vinzons Hall and the College of Business Adminsitration stand in front of the Sunken Garden, an important center of campus life in UP Diliman. So many memories, both good and forgettable, are linked to this open field. It played host to old forgotten traditions such as the “Cadena de Amor” and the grueling ROTC Sunday trainings; to today’s UP Fair. It’s a perfect afternoon hangout, great for football or Frisbee practice, and infamous for its evening escapades. And it was wonderful the Sony Ericsson K850i Cyber-shot camera has a really useful panoramic shot feature which allowed me to capture the place in its entirety.

Part 1: UP Diliman is a showcase of art and architecture
Part 2: UP Chapel and the Church of the Risen Lord

Manila: UP Chapel and the Church of the Risen Lord

If you remember, I've already featured three campuses and their chapels namely the Ateneo and the Church of the Gesu, La Salle and the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and FEU and its chapel. Now I'm featuring UP Diliman and its two chapels.

The Catholic church of UP Diliman is the Church of the Holy Sacrifice or the UP Chapel. It is a National Historical Landmark and was designated an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum owing to the fact that it stands as a testament to the creativity of not one, not two, but four national artists!

The dome-shaped structure, a fine example of Modern architecture in the Philippines, was designed by Leandro Locsin. Around the UP Chapel are fifteen large murals painted by Vicente Manansala depicting the Stations of the Cross. The marble altar and the large wooden cross above it were sculpted by Napoleon Abueva. And finally, the mosaic floor mural called the “River of Life” was designed by Arturo Luz.

Another renowned architect, Cesar H. Concio, was responsible for designing the neighboring Protestant chapel, the Church of the Risen Lord.

Part 1: UP Diliman is a showcase of art and architecture
Part 3: More art and architecture from UP Diliman

Manila: UP Diliman is a showcase of art and architecture

The University of the Philippines is celebrating its centennial this year. I have always wanted to rediscover the Diliman campus and appreciate it in a different light. So I took time out one afternoon to take a stroll around.

Few people realize that UP Diliman is actually a treasure trove of architectural delights and works of art. Around campus, masterpieces of many renowned artists and architects go unnoticed. So I had my Sony Ericsson K850i handy to document my trip around the Diliman Republic.

I started my walk in Quezon Hall, the administration building of UP, designed by Juan Nakpil, National Artist for Architecture and a pioneer of Modern Philippine architecture. He is also credited for creating landmarks around the Academic Oval such as the Carillon which continues to bring music to the Diliman campus after 50 years of existence and Gonzalez Hall, the university’s main library.

Benitez Hall, home to the College of Education; and Malcolm Hall which hosts the College of Law were designed by another renowned architect Juan Arellano.

In front of Quezon Hall is an immortal masterpiece and an undying symbol of the University of the Philippines, The Oblation by Guillermo Tolentino.

From there, I proceeded to another prominent structure, the UP Chapel. And thanks to the decades-old acacia trees which lined the Academic Oval and the cool afternoon breeze, walking to it was refreshing and relaxing.

Part 2: UP Chapel and the Church of the Risen Lord
Part 3: More art and architecture from UP Diliman

Manila: The FEU campus is fantastic!

I was at Far Eastern University (FEU) today for a campus tour with Ivan ManDy and all I could say is that the Art Deco buildings designed by Pablo Antonio, National Artist for Architecture, and the collection of art around campus are fantastic! I never thought that amidst the chaos of Recto and Quezon Boulevard is an oasis, a well-planned campus very conducive to learning. The designs of the new buildings are brilliant and blend perfectly with the old. The campus planners of DLSU should get lessons from the efficient use of space and the elegant designs and arrangement of buildings in FEU. It's no surprise the campus was recognized by UNESCO for heritage conservation.

As Ivan ManDy writes: "The Far Eastern University, located in Manila's chaotic and overcrowded University Belt, is the proverbial rose in a sea of thorns. Years of neglect... led to the [campus] falling into hard times, hardly a fit place to inspire the minds of our country's future [leaders]. But then the FEU administration decided... to roll up its sleeves and do something. In one fell swoop, [the campus] morphed from an uninviting, graffiti-infested, makeshift patchwork of classrooms, food-areas and dingy business stalls to [restore itself to] the gleaming Art Deco complex worthy of educating the best minds of the country.

"This is the FEU campus today, a touch of architectural class in a city that seems to have forgotten how beautiful she once was. That the university... is in the midst of one of the most high-density and polluted districts of the city did not deter FEU from battling urban blight head on. But what particularly makes the FEU campus noteworthy is that it proved to many how old buildings do not have to mean derelict and unfashionable. In fact they [the restored buildings] are hip and cool..."

"Buildings in the FEU campus were constructed between 1930-1950; they had been mostly designed by National Artist Pablo Antonio. Felipe Mendoza designed the other campus structures, notably the chapel. All of campus structures were restored to their original appearance. All new buildings were designed in a contemporary style compatible with the old. Without resorting to architectural mimicry of the heritage architecture, the new blended perfectly with the old."

One of the details which I liked were the bronze sculptures around the flagpole done by another National Artist Vicente Manansala. The quadrangle itself is well-planned with the Philippine flag serving as the center of life in campus. Also check out the "Stations of the Cross" murals of National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco in the chapel, and the sculpture murals of Francesco Monti and Art Deco mural of Simon Saulog both in the administration building. Watch out for the Old Manila Walks tour of FEU soon. More photos in Multiply.

Campus tour
Ateneo de Manila University
De La Salle University

Manila: A visit to De La Salle University

Since I started talking about university chapels, here is another one. I was quite excited when I received an invitation from DLSU Liga Historia to speak about heritage at De La Salle's alternative class day called LEAP (Lasallian Enrichment Alternative Program) since I had been wanting to check out the De La Salle University campus for the longest time. I had heard so many good things about its pre-war university chapel from a lot of friends. So as soon as the talk ended, I went straight to the Chapel of The Most Blessed Sacrament on the second floor of its neoclassical main building, St. La Salle Hall.

It was in November 19, 1939 that the chapel was completed and dedicated to St. Joseph. The chapel figured prominently during the Second World War having served as a refuge for brothers, priests and families. On February 12, 1945, drunken Japanese troops massacred 16 brothers and 25 civilians in the chapel. In 1947, the chapel was rededicated to the Blessed Sacrament with a ceremony of reparation for the desecrations perpetrated in the chapel.

St. La Salle Hall itself was completed in 1924. It was designed by renowned architect Tomas Mapua. I had wanted to take a photo of the facade of the building. But to my horror, a single-story structure had been constructed right smack in front of the building. Constructing the Marilen Gaerlan Conservatory in front of its main building is one of the biggest mistakes DLSU had made. Check out the old postcard in the inset featuring St. La Salle Hall when there was still a lot of open space in front of it.

As Wikipedia notes, since its completion in 1998, the conservatory has completely blocked the ground level of St. La Salle Hall. Despite its abundance of funding sources, DLSU seems to be ill-advised with regard to campus planning and the proper construction, scale and location of its new buildings. It was even more depressing when I went to the second floor of the main building since instead of a courtyard, one would see the roof of the conservatory. How sad!

Another thing I noticed was the importance (or lack of it) DLSU gave to the Philippine flag. Aside from the flagpole being really short (many public elementary schools have taller flagpoles), it was relegated to the corner of an amphitheater. For a university as prestigious as De La Salle, surely it has the funds to erect a taller and more appropriate flagpole befitting our national flag and place it in a prominent location in campus, maybe in front of the main building or at the center of its main quadrangle. The Philippine flag is our most important national symbol and schools should stress to their students the importance of respecting our flag as part of strengthening Philippine nationalism. So I suggested to Liga Historia to make it an advocacy to convince the administration that the Philippine flag deserves a more prominent location in the DLSU campus.

We all wonder why the Philippines is still lagging behind its neighbors. The answer is simple: most Filipinos don't have a sense of nationalism. Only when we find ourselves, strengthen pride in our nation and what it stands for, will we begin to really move forward.

Looking back
Thanks to Alex Paglinawan for sending me this link to a video of Manila before WWII...

Manila: We stand on a hill

Yesterday, I attended a Mass for Ateneo jubilarian classes at the Church of the Gesu in Ateneo. My high school batch is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The Mass really brought back memories since all of a sudden, I was an impromptu lector and altar server. Hehe!

The Church of the Gesu was built several years after I left the Ateneo and transferred to neighboring UP. It was a low hill during my twelve years stay at the Loyola Heights campus. Although we already knew that the University Church, one that would replace the grand San Ignacio Church in Intramuros as the landmark church and religious center of the Ateneo de Manila, would be built on that hill. According to the Ateneo website, it was in 1949 that "Fr. William Masterson, S.J. dreamed of a chapel on the highest point of Ateneo’s new campus in Loyola Heights, which was to be the icon of everything the Ateneo stands for as a Catholic, Filipino and Jesuit institution." More than 50 years later, that dream became a reality and the finished product is nothing but impressive!

Designed by Jose Pedro Recio and Carmelo Casas, "the Church’s striking triangular architecture symbolizes 3 things: the Holy Trinity, the outstretched arms of the Sacred Heart, and the Filipino spirit as embodied in the nipa hut roof it represents." Years from now, it's brilliantly-designed edifices like the Gesu which will fall in the category of heritage, and not those haughty, nouveau riche designs we see in many of our churches today.

Archt. Paolo Alcazaren gives us more information on the impressive design of the Gesu in his Philippine Star column: "The church is a modernist take on a long line of Jesuit churches that have their origins in the original Gesu in Rome. The Ateneo has had several of these churches starting with the one destroyed in Intramuros. The campus in Loyola, to which the school moved after the Second World War, was also a modern remake of a formerly urban campus with wide, open and green spaces (undefiled by telephone and power cables, which the original planners – thank God – buried underneath).

"The Ateneo chose the firm of Recio+Casas to design the new Gesu. Bong Recio, the principal in charge, is an alumnus. He took pains to study the site to find the best geometry and location for the building. The striking design was unlike anything seen since another geometric wonder (the UP dome by Leandro Locsin) was constructed 50 years earlier. The angle-roofed structure is an abstraction of a bird in flight (an eagle, of course) and is perched on a slight knoll with a large "sunken" quad in front of it – perfect siting for prominence despite the structure’s relatively small size.

"It’s not how large the church is that counts, it’s how appropriately configured the space is inside. Here, Recio is eminently efficient and stylish. Less is really more in this structure. It eschews frills, is airy and cool in addition to being dramatic from all angles.

"The drama, however, was a little off, or so I thought when I first saw the church in late 2002. The composition seemed to lack something and (I later found out) it was the carillon that had to wait until now to be built. Additional funds were raised (by High School Class ’60 and College ’64) in the interim and happily, the carillon, also designed by Recio+Casas, was finally built last year and inaugurated in October.

"The tall white bell tower is separate from the main structure and balances its geometry carefully. It houses 18 bells and an Angelus bell that now gives students and passersby notice of events, masses and hours of prayer. The 18 bells are named, following an old liturgical tradition, after the Blessed Trinity, saints and the blessed. Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Holy Saints above! This carillon rocks!"

We had a lunch program in nearby Cervini Hall. While eating, it was announced that the Ateneo Football Team was up against UP at the football fields accross the Blue Eagle Gym. I managed the high school soccer team during my senior year so I decided to drop by to see if some old friends were there. I was right! Like die-hard football fanatics, they were still watching even after graduating. Coach Ompong Merida was very concentrated on the game in the players' box so I didn't get to greet him.

I always had a difficult time watching Ateneo-UP games. I ended up singing two alma mater songs after every game. Hehe! It was funny since I knew the cheers on both sides as the drums blasted their way to inspire the players to fight harder.

As I looked around, there were more childhood memories. Just across the fields was the statue of Saint Ignatius, another campus landmark. It was occasionaly the talk of town, especially when the sword disappeared, no thanks to some prankster. Right beside it was a field I used to play in after class during my grade school days since it was right beside the grade school parking area.

The field formed part of the Manila Observatory Complex which we would wander into after catching grasshoppers, bugs and other insects. I remember distinctly that we would knock on the doors of the observatory and ask the caretaker politely if they would allow us in to look at the exhibits. If we were extra nice, they would allow us to view the telescope to check out the sun. So did my childhood fascination for astronomy begin with those visits to the observatory.

Those were the days!

Photo credits: The smaller photos of the Gesu came from the Ateneo and EAPI websites and Paolo Alcazaren.